London: Mark Cavendish is to take an immediate break from cycling due to illness, his team Dimension Data have confirmed.
Cavendish, 33, has been diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, the same condition that forced him to miss the British Championships in 2017.
In a statement on their website Dimension Data confirmed that Cavendish “has been advised to rest in order to fully recover ahead of a return to training” following medical tests that revealed the presence of the virus.
Cavendish himself added, “This season I’ve not felt physically myself and despite showing good numbers on the bike I have felt that there’s been something not right.
“Given this and on the back of these medical results, I’m glad to now finally have some clarity as to why I haven’t been able to perform at my optimum level during this time.
“Having received expert medical advice as a result of the findings I’ve been advised to take a period of total rest in order to fully recover.
“I’d like to thank everyone for the incredible support I’ve received and I look forward to seeing you all out on the road again soon.”
Cavendish has had a tough 2018, suffering crashes at the Abu Dhabi Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo.
At the Tour de France he was dropped after failing to make the time cut-off on the 11th stage, finishing the race over an hour after the stage winner Geraint Thomas.
Epstein-Barr virus is the virus that causes “mono” and it is fairly common, with people often getting infected and recovering without realising they had it.
Plenty of people carry the virus without actually getting ill and the symptoms can take a while to occur.
